The weather is cool

The Blackwood family was wealthy—this was something Vivian had always known. 

Even so, she hadn't enjoyed many years of luxury. 

Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood's plane had crashed. 

Both had died in the accident. 

It was absurd, almost incomprehensible. Had the Blackwood family offended someone powerful enough to orchestrate the crash of an international flight? Upon closer thought, it seemed unlikely. Life wasn't a novel, and the idea that some domineering CEO could bring down the Blackwood Group just because the weather turned cold was far-fetched. 

But the Blackwood Group did go bankrupt. 

The entire Blackwood household was thrown into chaos. 

Vivian only found out after she returned to the Blackwood estate. Today was supposed to be the day Mr. Blackwood returned, and she had planned to discuss her decision to leave the household with him. But her plans were left hanging when the person she needed to talk to was gone. The butler revealed the current situation: the Blackwood family was on the brink of collapse. 

How could the Blackwoods have fallen so suddenly? This was beyond Vivian's understanding. Didn't wealthy families have wills, trust funds, or insurance? Weren't there relatives to step in? Even a bankrupt conglomerate should still have some residual wealth—after all, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. 

It was complicated, far beyond Vivian's comprehension. 

The internal strife within the Blackwood family was brutal. 

A new leader had taken control, and relatives in the U.S. were preparing to sue, which meant all the assets in the estate were to be seized. The servants had been dismissed, leaving only a few elderly staff members. Vivian's first thought was—what would happen to the Blackwood brothers? 

Their parents were dead. 

Their home was gone. 

Their money was gone. 

Perhaps it was karma, or perhaps not. Vivian hadn't particularly disliked the two brothers during the two years she had lived with them. Ethan and Noah, though they shared a household registry with her, had always been from a different world. They would never be in the same social class as her—or so she had thought. Now, things were uncertain. Ethan was fourteen, just starting middle school, and Noah was only ten, with his biggest concern being the transition to secondary school. 

What would their lives be like from now on? Vivian wondered as she searched the house for any remaining valuables. Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood's room was empty. The people responsible for seizing the assets hadn't arrived yet, but everything was already gone. It was clear the servants had ransacked the place before fleeing. 

Vivian found a few earrings hidden in the bed frame—perhaps Mrs. Blackwood had carelessly left them there. The gemstones were large and could likely be pawned for some money. She searched a few more rooms, but in a house as vast as the Blackwoods', only a few valuable items remained. 

As she came downstairs, Vivian saw the Blackwood brothers standing in the living room, their eyes vacant as people came and went. 

Children were now the least valuable assets in the Blackwood household. 

Vivian didn't spare them a second glance and left without hesitation. 

She felt no attachment, just as she had when she first arrived in BJ city. Leaving now, she felt just as unburdened. Once again, Vivian reflected on her detachment. Perhaps she truly had inherited this trait from her mother. Aside from her looks, it was the only thing her mother had given her—and it had become her weapon of survival. 

Vivian stayed in BJ city for a few more days, pawning off the valuables she had found. Her bank account now held around seventy to eighty thousand yuan. The Blackwood family's funeral was funded by local friends, but Vivian didn't attend. Going would have required her to contribute money, and she wasn't sure what role she would even play there. 

Perhaps out of a sense of guilt, she stood outside the cemetery for a while, bidding them farewell in her own way, repaying the Blackwood family for the two years they had taken care of her. 

As for the rest—what would happen to the Blackwood family, what would happen to the Blackwood brothers—that wasn't something Vivian needed to concern herself with. 

Vivian returned to Han city. Her driver's license was now a year old, allowing her to drive on highways. She left alone on a day with gentle winds and a soft sun, as if the world itself was seeing her off. A few fellow locals were also heading back, so they formed a makeshift convoy. 

They chatted and called each other along the way, asking where everyone was and which rest stops they'd meet at. They were all young, laughing and joking. Their cars were much nicer than Vivian's, but they were happy to include her. When they reached WH city, Vivian exchanged contact information with everyone. 

Vivian returned to the old neighborhood on Friendship Road, to the old house. 

A neighbor, seeing her dusty and tired, asked why she had come back. 

"Well, I come back when it's time to come back," Vivian replied evasively. "Sis Z, I smell something frying at your home." 

"You've got a nose like a dog! The oil just started heating," the neighbor laughed. "I'll bring you some when it's done." 

Vivian unlocked the door, and a cloud of dust greeted her. It was time to clean. 

She stood in the living room, bathed in the afternoon sunlight, for a while. 

The past two years felt like a lifetime ago. 

In Vivian's bank account, there was the compensation from Victoria's accident, the savings she had accumulated during her time with the Blackwoods, and the money from pawning the valuables. After deducting the cost of the car, she still had around two hundred thousand yuan. This was more than enough to see her through university and allow her to travel with friends during holidays. 

Vivian spent her days at home, waiting for her college admission results. She really isn't cut out for studying, and in the end, she was accepted into a local second-tier railway university. Fortunately, her friends aren't much better. 

The kids from Friendship Road had gone from the same kindergarten to the same high school, and unless something unexpected happened, they would likely put down roots in this city. 

Despite transferring schools for two years, Vivian was still welcomed back by her friends. When the admission results came out, some were happy, others disappointed. They organized a group dinner, going from watching movies to eating hotpot, and then booked a KTV room to sing into the night. Vocational school students and university students alike raised their glasses in celebration. 

In the early hours of the morning, Vivian stumbled home, drunk. 

As she reached the second floor, she noticed a shadow on the stairs. 

"Hey!" she shouted, triggering the motion-activated light. 

Ethan stood there, holding his weak brother, and their eyes met. 

---

As for how the Blackwood brothers made their way to WH city and what hardships they endured along the way, that story begins on a particular day. 

Early in the morning, Ethan was practicing the piano in the large music room, while Noah, his younger brother, flipped the pages of the sheet music as he read aloud. Suddenly, the butler entered with a grave expression, dismissed the confused piano teacher, and whispered something to Ethan. 

The music stopped, and Noah looked over, puzzled. 

Ethan's face turned pale. 

Noah watched as his usually composed brother's eyes reddened. "You're saying Mom and Dad are both…" 

Soon, Noah learned the devastating news. It felt like the sky had fallen. He burst into tears. 

The butler knew, the servants knew, and soon the entire Blackwood household of over fifty people knew. Some left immediately, others cursed. It was the end of the month, and they hadn't even been paid! Angry workers demanded compensation, and the situation quickly devolved into chaos as people began looting. 

Noah cried and tried to stop them, but his room was ransacked—his beloved books, figurines, and even his large telescope were taken. He was pushed to the ground, watching helplessly as the servants walked away with his belongings. Ethan helped him up. 

"Brother… brother…" Noah sobbed. 

Ethan was too overwhelmed to comfort his brother. 

He made phone calls—to uncles, aunts, anyone his mother had been close to—but as soon as they heard his voice, they hung up. 

Ethan's mind was in turmoil. The second floor was too crowded, so he took his distraught brother downstairs. 

It was then that Vivian returned. 

Hearing the news, her expression darkened. Ethan thought she shared their grief, but instead, she went upstairs, took what she could, and left without a word. 

It was then that Ethan realized the difference between Vivian and them. 

Vivian had her escape route. 

The Blackwood brothers had nothing. 

By evening, the Blackwood estate was deserted, leaving only the two brothers standing alone in front of the house. The kind old butler had been taken away by his family, leaving them with a handful of cash and a tearful sigh. Ethan tremblingly accepted the money. 

Noah, who had initially been consumed by grief, was now filled with rage. After witnessing everyone's betrayal, he grabbed the money from Ethan's hands and hurled it into the gloomy sky. "Get out! All of you! Who needs your dirty money?!" 

A strong wind swept through, scattering the bills in all directions. 

Shadows fell across Ethan's deep, brooding face. 

"…Noah," he said to his brother. 

"Pick up the money." 

Noah's lips trembled as he grabbed Ethan's arm. "Brother, you don't believe what those people said, do you? Is there any chance that Mom and Dad…" 

Ethan shook his head, facing reality with courage. 

At that moment, Noah knew there was no hope. 

The ten-year-old's world crumbled around him. The life he had known for so long had collapsed into harsh reality. 

Noah stiffly bent down and picked up the crumpled bills. Ethan carefully stored the money and took his brother's hand, leading him out into the streets. 

It was then that Ethan thought of Vivian—specifically, her sharp, shrewd eyes and her detached, pragmatic heart. 

The sister who had always been so cold, yet so adept at surviving in the world. 

---

For now, Ethan only thought of Vivian briefly. 

At this stage, he didn't see her as someone they could rely on. 

He took Noah to the police station to report their situation. The officers helped them, following legal procedures. 

The Blackwood family's grandparents had passed away years ago, and the remaining relatives were unreachable. 

The only family left was Vivian, an eighteen-year-old with no blood relation to them. 

"Where is your sister now?" the officer asked. "If she has the means to support you…" 

"She doesn't," Ethan said, having long since seen through Vivian. "…And she wouldn't support us even if she could." 

"In that case…" the officer hesitated. "Let me get you something to eat first, and then I'll contact the local community center." 

A few days later, the decision was made. Ethan and Noah were taken to a children's shelter and then transferred to a nearby orphanage. They became part of a larger family. 

Noah spent his days crying, sometimes in sorrow, sometimes in anger. He was too young to process the fall from being a privileged young master to an orphan. His health began to deteriorate. 

Ethan reported this to the orphanage director, but instead of taking Noah to the city hospital, the director brought him to a local pharmacy.

"It's always like this when the seasons change. Children have weaker immune systems. It's probably just a minor cold. Some medicine will fix it right up." 

Noah took the medicine, but he didn't get better. He coughed and wheezed all day, unable to eat, his cheeks flushed red. Ethan grew increasingly worried and wanted to take Noah to the hospital, but the kind-hearted director stopped him. 

Ethan pulled a handful of red bills from his tattered pocket. "We have money…" 

The director's face lit up at the sight of the cash. He took the money and offered to drive them to the hospital. But instead of heading to the city, the car stopped on the outskirts. 

In the desolate fields, only the howling wind could be heard. The van driver met with others, and there were more children in the vehicles. 

Ethan looked at them. 

They stared back at him. 

Three seconds later, Ethan realized what was happening. 

He grabbed the feverish Noah, hoisted him onto his back, and ran for his life.